Teacher’s Pet – part 2

Story contd.

The day of the show - our final day – was a mad flurry of dress rehearsals, lighting plotting and last minute costume adjustments. Everyone had worked hard and although the dress rehearsal didn’t go without a hitch - that probably boded well for the actual performance Charles, my black American friend gave a natural dignity to his part of Lord Windermere and fortunately the director saw the folly of giving him white gloves to wear, which was too close to Al Johnson for comfort,

Being in the lighting box with Gary was a piece of cake as he was very hands on and did most of it himself, but I had studied the lighting plots and felt I knew a little more about the subject now, other than the useful snippet that Strand pink was the most flattering light for ladies. It was fascinating how one could lift or darken the mood with light and music. All in all the week had taught me a lot about stage craft and I couldn’t wait to get back to the theatre club and do my own production. I knew from the people I had worked with on ‘The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll’ that I could get together that all important back- stage team - so vital before you even think of the actors.

There was one part of the play where Gary wanted a black-out and it was dependant on the timing of what was happening on stage; he said he would keep an eye on the action with his arm raised and at the right moment would drop his arm and I would pull the lever that would plunge the stage into darkness. Meanwhile we had a couple of hours before the show and I planned to crash and try to catch up with all the late nights I had been having. However Gary said he wanted to speak to me alone, and as we were all leaving tomorrow this was the last chance we would get, so I agreed to meet him in the pub as soon as I had changed.

The pub was empty when I got there, apart from Gary sitting by the window looking concerned – very unusual for him. We had soft drinks because of the show and I asked Gary what he wanted to talk to me about. The evening sun shining through the window gave him a golden glow and although he wasn’t conventionally handsome I found his titian hair and freckles and above all his happy nature immensely appealing. I was aware of the woman behind the bar who seemed very interested in our conversation. I realised there had been a mutual attraction between us but was also conscious that Gary was a very popular guy and had young women coming up to him constantly asking for his help, advice or opinion on all sorts of things. I had had a fantastic week with a great bunch of people from all over the world and Gary had made me feel a desirable young woman, for the first time in years. But this was time out from my real life; I would keep in touch with some of the students but I knew the friendship with Gary had to end here.

Gary said he had had a chequered career and although married had been a bit of a philanderer, but this was the first time he had felt really serious. Neither of us was free but he knew I wasn’t happy and that probably nothing could come of it for years. Even though we lived far apart he wanted to keep in touch. I was in turmoil. It sounded so reasonable but I had never imagined anything continuing after the end of the course and I tried to explain why I couldn’t keep in touch with him.

We were going round in circles and it was time to get back to the college. In the lighting box I tried to concentrate on the play which seemed to be going well. It went so much better with an audience and you could see the actors rising to the occasion as each bit of laughter and applause gave them fresh impetus. My mind was still whirling and Gary’s words were ringing in my ears.

‘We must see each other again Pat.’

I vaguely saw him lift his arm in the air and when he dropped it I froze. Whether it was a combination of exhaustion and stress I don’t know but I was paralysed. Gary hurtled towards me, grabbed the lever and saved the day.

After the show it was party time and everybody was on a high. I apologised to Gary for letting him down but he said it was his fault for bringing up such a difficult topic at the wrong time. Knowing that most of us would never meet again we partied for the last time, till the early hours.

The next morning with the car packed with all those books that had never been opened, Gary looked on as I hugged and said goodbye to my new friends. Just as I was about to drive off he came over, hugged me and said.

‘See you next week!’

I felt sad in the car. It reminded me of school at the end of the year when I always used to cry at ‘Lord dismiss us with thy blessings.’ I told myself Gary probably just wanted another scalp to add to his collection and I had been right to be firm.

When I reached home William and the boys were out so I collapsed into bed and slept for hours.